It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive
by Mrs Pepperpot
Summary: Rick tries to fight against temptation on a moonlit night... A sort-of-sequel to my other Rick/Beth fic Make You Feel My Love. It's not a direct continuation as that fic is still ongoing, but it's something that could happen down the road a ways.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a one-shot that I wrote for readers of my T rated fic 'Make You Feel My Love', who wanted a bit... more, from the relationship between Rick and Beth. I didn't intend it to be a sequel, but it could certainly fit in with that fic, as something that happens down the road a ways. **

**The title is taken from the lyrics of 'All Night Long (Break Out)' by Bruce Springsteen. But the same lyric also appears in 'Badlands' also by Springsteen, which is another great song.**

**Thank you for reading, and please leave a review. - Mrs P.**

**N.B - I wrote this as a one-shot but I've decided to carry on for a few chapters, I hope you'll all continue to follow the story. Oh, and I own nothing Walking Dead related, except for the DVDs... And I'm thinking of getting a Rick action figure... :-)**

* * *

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Rick Grimes had accumulated a long list of things that he never would have done before the world went to hell. The latest addition that he was contemplating was once again something he couldn't have foreseen in his past life. When he thought about it rationally, and in the cold light of day, he had to think that maybe he was descending into another spell of madness. He shook his head and inwardly chastised himself for the thousandth time, but the thought just kept nagging away in his mind. He had told himself that it was just a harmless fantasy that would play out nowhere, but in what had to be, his own sick mind. But if that were true, then why had he tracked down that box of condoms on the last supply run? He had to ask himself. He tapped the pocket of his jeans to make sure that they were still there. They were.

It had been months now, of her giving him longing looks and touching him at every opportunity. She wanted him to notice, but she feared it too, he could tell. When he had become aware, he was also afraid of the possibilities. Maybe if he had ever been like Shane in that way, it wouldn't have bothered him so much. His former best friend had always been able to sweet talk his way into any woman's panties, even his own wife's as it turned out. But Lori had been his one and only love. He knew that he would always carry her in his heart until the day that he died, but life went on. He hadn't wanted it too, but he had Carl and Judith, and he had to keep going for them. Rick couldn't call what he felt now, love. But she made him feel something, and after everything he'd been through, he was grateful to still be able to feel anything at all. He slung his rifle over his shoulder and made his way back into the cell block.

The light from the full moon was streaming in through the barred windows, and all was calm and quiet. It seemed that everyone not currently on watch was asleep. Rick crept stealthily towards his target, and hoped that she was still awake.

"Beth?" He whispered as loud as he dared.

She looked like she was sleeping; her long blond hair was loose and trailing down to the floor. He told himself that it was fate intervening, and saving him from making a terrible mistake. But then she began to stir, and her big blue eyes suddenly met his in the moonlight. She was about to speak when he quickly moved to her side and put a finger over her lips.

"Come, take a walk with me?" He requested in a low voice next to her ear.

She gave him a questioning look, but slowly eased herself out of her bunk and then slid her boots on.

Rick went to make sure that there was no one around, and finding the cell block to be still quiet, he took Beth's hand and led her out into the yard.

"Is everything okay?" She asked with concern as she noticed how agitated he had become.

He stilled for a moment to take a deep breath, and then he told himself that it still wasn't too late to stop this. He looked into her trusting face, with her long hair whipping around in the night breeze, and he wasn't sure he could go through with his plans. What was he thinking? She was so young, and he was old enough to be her father. But he had to admit that her inexperience was part of her appeal, because he'd never been confident where women were concerned.

"Rick?" Beth questioned as she became increasingly alarmed by his silence and strange behaviour.

He was about to tell her to go back to bed, when she reached over and began to gently caress his face. He felt his resolve crumbling with her tender touch and he put his arm around her and pulled her to him.

"If you don't want to...? If you're not ready...?" He questioned as he held her tightly in his arms.

Beth pulled back slightly and looked deeply into his eyes, hoping that he would see her answer there. She tentatively moved closer to him, and her lips softly brushed against his. Rick's scraggly beard tickled her nose which caused her to giggle. She felt so nervous, but she was sure that she wanted more from him than just a kiss. He started to move his lips over hers and deepened the contact. They stayed like that for a few minutes before they breathlessly broke apart. She giggled again and he smiled and grabbed her by the hand to lead her off into the night.

"Where are we going?" Beth asked as she tried to keep pace with him.

Rick didn't answer, he just kept guiding her across the yard until they came to where the partially boarded up school bus was parked. He pulled the door open and then he paused at the top of the steps.

"It's not too late to turn back." He said to allow her one last chance to bring him to his senses.

She didn't take it, and instead she reached for his hand to help her up to the deck of the bus. They made their way to the back seat and he pulled her down next to him. He started kissing her again with increasing fervour as he eased himself on top of her. Their eyes met for a long moment and his doubts started to resurface as he saw how innocent she looked. She had complete trust in him, he could feel it, but she was so nervous she was shaking.

"You're not a virgin, are you?" Rick was amazed at himself for not giving the matter serious thought beforehand.

He knew deep down that she probably was, but he hadn't wanted to acknowledge it, because it only made him feel worse about what he was thinking of doing.

Beth nodded and looked mortified.

"I thought maybe you and Jimmy..." He said, although he knew he was only reaching for excuses.

"No. I only dated him for three months, and daddy was quick to remind Jimmy that he owned a shotgun, and he knew how to use it." She explained.

"Yeah? Well Hershel still has a shotgun." Rick said with alarm.

Beth laughed nervously.

"Your first time shouldn't be like this." He said apologetically.

She began to feel sad as she thought about her past expectations, and her eyes filled with tears.

"I was going to wait until my wedding night. I thought that my first time should be with my husband, whoever he turned out to be." She explained with embarrassment over her naivety.

Rick sighed as he removed himself from her, and then he sat back against the seat. Beth looked over at him with despondency as she feared that she had messed everything up.

"You could still have that. I mean, look at Glenn and Maggie. They managed to find each other in this crazy world." He said.

"So did we." She said pointedly as she reached out to him.

Rick recoiled from her touch and he started to shake his head.

"No. This isn't some written in the stars kind of deal. I'm not your Prince Charming; I'm a man who's old enough to be your father. I'm so sorry; I should never have brought you out here." He said with deep shame for not conquering his urges.

Beth began to get angry at his reticence, his contriteness, and at his lack of faith in her.

"You're old enough to be my father, and my actual father is old enough to be my grandfather. Did you know that my daddy was fourteen years older than my momma, and it never did them any harm. It didn't matter then, and it sure as hell don't matter now." She argued.

"And I know you're not my Prince Charming; he probably got bit or eaten a long time ago, along with the horse he rode in on." She said with exasperation.

To her complete surprise, Rick suddenly burst out laughing.

"Y'know, I actually rode into Atlanta on a horse, and it did get eaten." He explained.

Beth looked at him with shock for a moment before she too started giggling.

"Oh, no. Poor horse." She said guiltily.

"You might not be bothered about our age difference, but what about your father, and Maggie?" Rick questioned when they had composed themselves again.

"It's none of their business. I might be young, but this world we live in now isn't what we thought it was gonna be. I remember when I was seven and my daddy was explaining the circle of life to me after our old family dog had to be put down. He said that we are all born to die, and that none of us knows the day, but that all we can do is make the most of every second. The circle of life might have gotten bent out of shape lately, but the same principles still hold true." Beth stated with resolve.

Rick thought about her words and then he began to slowly nod.

"Y'know, you're right." He said.

"If we deny ourselves the few pleasures in life, and the chance to love and be loved, we might as well be dead."

"It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive." Beth said recalling a song lyric she'd once heard.

She reached out to him and began to gently coax him back over to her. He willingly repositioned himself on top of her and they began to kiss. His hands started to explore her body and she shuddered with anticipation beneath him. He carefully undid the button on her cut-off jeans, and she helped by shimmying out of them as he tugged at the fabric. She could feel that he was growing hard against her, and she moved to release him from his own restraints. He began to gently stroke between her legs to make her as ready as she could be for him. Then he fumbled for the packet of condoms, and she helped him to slide one over his hard length. The feel of her loving touch as she moved her soft fingers over him made him gasp with pleasure.

"Ready?" He whispered as he positioned himself at her entrance.

Beth nodded with certainty, but he could still see the anxiety in her eyes. It was only the fear of the unknown. He eased himself inside her as slowly and carefully as he could, giving her time to adjust to him. She cried out with a mix of pleasure and pain, as she felt a slight tearing sensation. But the discomfort soon gave way to a more enjoyable feeling as Rick gradually picked up pace and began to stimulate her with his fingers. It felt like her body was sparking with electricity and all of her nerves began to vibrate in unison. She could feel the pressure building inside of her as his movements became more frenzied. The force of her first orgasm took her by surprise, and she couldn't stop an involuntary giggle from escaping her as she came. Rick smiled and kissed her as he rode on towards his own release. Afterwards, he held her tenderly in his arms, a place she had often longed to be.

"That was, I wasn't expecting it to be so... perfect." Beth said as she smiled against his chest.

She tilted her head slightly so that her blue eyes could meet his. Rick beamed back at her; he was surprised and relieved to find that he didn't feel so guilty anymore. She had wanted him, and they had both enjoyed it; they hadn't done anything wrong. It had felt better than he allowed himself to believe that it would. It was worth it for the comfort alone, and he didn't realise how much he'd missed this kind of intimacy.

"I guess we'd better be getting back before someone notices we're gone." He said reluctantly.

"Maybe we should keep this just between us, for now?" He suggested.

She nodded and understood the need for discretion, but she hoped that they wouldn't have to keep their relationship clandestine forever.

"I'll speak to Hershel, when the time's right. But he still has that shotgun." Rick joked.

Beth laughed. She took a sharp intake of breath as she pulled her jeans back on.

"Does it hurt?" He asked with concern.

"I'm a little sore, but it's all good." She reassured him with a smile.

They kissed goodnight and returned back to the cell block.

"Same time, same place, tomorrow?" He asked hopefully.

She nodded eagerly.

"No regrets?" He questioned before they parted.

"I'll never be sorry." Beth vowed with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Chapter 2

Rick paced about restlessly up on the walkway; his time on watch was almost done and he had another engagement to keep. The doubts were rising in his mind once again, as he thought about what the rest of the group would say if they knew about him and Beth. They looked to him as their leader, even if he had taken a step back and re-established a democracy rule. He had to figure that they expected certain standards of him, and that having sex with a seventeen year old girl probably wasn't one of them. What the hell was he doing? He rested his head against the wire fencing and pondered that question for a moment.

It was hard to keep a hold on what was right in this crazy world that they now inhabited. The laws and values that once governed society had been swept away along with everything else. Rick, in his capacity as Sheriff's deputy, had always held that there were three types of people. Firstly, there were those who would always do right, whether there were laws or not. Secondly, there were those who wanted to do wrong, but the law kept them in check. And then thirdly, there were those who would do wrong regardless of any laws. The waters were a lot muddier now.

"Hey, man. Everything okay?" Daryl's voice broke into Rick's reverie.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine." He lied.

"I, um, I know it ain't none of my business, but, I, um..." He fiddled about with his crossbow.

"I saw you last night, with Beth." Daryl said as his obvious discomfort at the situation left him unable to meet his friend's eye.

Rick glared at him in shock for a moment before he let out a sigh, and then he kicked against the fence in frustration.

"It's not what you think." He said defensively.

"So you ain't balling Little-Miss-Barely-Legal on the back seat of a school bus then, huh?" Daryl sneered as he finally met his eyes.

Rick's temper flared but he didn't move or speak.

"All's I'm saying is, if you've got an itch needs scratching, we got other _women_ here." Daryl said with the emphasis on women.

"Like who? Miss McLeod? Carol?" Rick questioned with his deliberate choice of names.

The two men glared at each other for a long moment, and then Daryl attempted to diffuse the situation.

"Let's go back to the part where this ain't none of my business, okay? I just hope you know what you're doing." He said.

Rick sighed and started to run his hand through his hair.

"I know it's crazy. D'you think I don't know how fucking insane this is? But that said it didn't feel that way last night. When I was with her, it felt so good, and I started to think that maybe it wasn't a bad thing after all. She wanted me, and I wanted her; we didn't do anything wrong." He said defensively.

"Hey, who're you trying to convince, me or yourself?" Daryl questioned.

Rick didn't answer.

"Are you like on some one man mission to repopulate the species, or something?" He jeered.

"I just need to know that you'll keep this to yourself, for now at least." Rick finally pleaded with him.

Daryl grunted his assent and then he adjusted his crossbow and started to walk away.

"Don't worry, your dirty little secret's safe with me." He muttered to himself.

* * *

Beth sat waiting on the back seat of the school bus; she had taken great care to slip out of the cell block unseen. Her father had been watching her like a hawk all day, and she had begun to worry that he suspected something. Hershel hadn't directly expressed any concerns though, and so she had let it slide. She began nervously drumming on the seat with her fingers, and wished that Rick would hurry up. She had been thinking about him and longing to be with him since the previous night. He had been either sleeping or busy elsewhere all day, and she was missing him.

Beth wanted to tell him how much she loved him, because she had held back on saying it the night before. She hadn't wanted him to think of her as overeager or needy, but she felt that she needed to let him know. He hadn't told her that he loved her either and she couldn't be sure that he would. Rick was still in love with Lori, and probably always would be, she knew that. But she reasoned that he had to feel something for her, because she was sure he wouldn't have been so tender with her if he didn't. But then, she had to concede that she knew hardly anything about men, especially where sex was concerned. Beth knew she was naive, but she hoped that she wasn't being a fool for love.

The bus door opened and Rick slinked up the steps and made his way towards the back seat. He gave her a furtive glance and a tight smile, which made her stomach knot with worry not desire.

"What's wrong?" She asked as he slumped down beside her.

"Daryl knows. He saw us together last night." Rick said without looking in her direction.

Beth was shocked but she soon recovered herself.

"So? He isn't going to say anything, is he?" She questioned.

Rick sighed and he put his head in his hands. He considered the fact that he had made some terrible calls since the world went to shit, but that this might qualify as the worst. His relationship with his son was at rock bottom as it was. If Carl were to find out about him and Beth, it could irrevocably destroy what little faith the boy still had left in him. He also had to think that Hershel, Maggie and Glenn wouldn't judge him too kindly for sullying one of their own.

"Rick?" Beth reached out to him when he didn't answer her earlier questions.

"I didn't ask to be the leader, but I took it on all the same, and with that position comes responsibilities. The folks here look to me to set an example, they expect certain standards, and I'm not living up to that." He explained as he finally met her eyes.

"I thought we agreed that we weren't doing anything wrong?" She said with growing desperation.

He gently cupped her chin in his hand.

"We might not think so, but everyone else will. We've got older folks here and kids." He said.

"So, we'd be corrupting the innocent, is that what you're saying?" She asked with exasperation.

"If I keep doing this, I'll be no better than those politicians who used to pretend to be decent and virtuous family guys for the voters, when all the time they were busy banging some office intern half their age." He explained.

Beth started to get angry and she pulled away from his touch.

"So, I'm just some young floozy who's made you stray from the righteous path, am I?" She raged.

"No. You know that's not it at all. But above everything else, I have to think about what this will do to Carl. I _should_ have thought about that a lot more before I decided to bring you out here last night. I never wanted to hurt you, and if I hadn't been so weak, I wouldn't have to cause you any pain now." Rick said as he begged her for her understanding and forgiveness.

Her heart was breaking, but the indignation of youth wouldn't let her bow out gracefully.

"This is all so stupid. If I were just a few years older no one would have anything to say. It seems I'm old enough to cook, clean, do laundry, even kill walkers sometimes, oh yeah, and I can take care of your baby just fine, but I'm not allowed to love you?" She questioned with incredulity.

Rick couldn't think of a satisfactory reply, and her passion was starting to turn him on. He knew that his resolve would crumble, as it had done before, if he didn't beat a hasty retreat. Beth suddenly reached out and began to gently stroke his cheek.

"And I do love you. I can't help it. Even if you walk away now, I'm not gonna stop." She vowed.

He made the mistake of meeting her gaze, and her big blue eyes seemed to burn through to his very soul.

"God forgive me." He said as he brought his lips crashing hungrily down onto hers.


	3. Chapter 3

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Chapter 3

Hershel's eyes followed his youngest daughter as she cradled Judith and went to get the baby's bottle. There was something different about her, and he thought he knew what that was. He had seen the way she looked at Rick, and how Rick had been avoiding looking at her. If he had feigned indifference then Hershel might have overlooked it, but he was trying too hard not to give himself away.

He sighed and cast his eyes down to the floor with sadness. His daughter was humming to the baby and appeared to be buzzing with happiness. And he knew that he was about to burst her bubble.

"Beth, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me." He said in tone he'd used when she was little and had misbehaved.

"Okay, daddy." She replied with a hint of fear over what he was going to ask, although she already suspected.

"Have you slept with Rick?" He asked in a calm voice that belied his inner turmoil.

Beth swallowed hard but she was prepared to take the consequences of her actions.

"There wasn't any actual sleeping involved, but yeah." She said brazenly.

Hershel shook his head wearily.

"I don't know which of you I'm more disappointed in." He said with sorrow.

"Don't you go looking to blame Rick for any of this, he didn't force me to do anything, and I went willingly. I love him, daddy." She tried to plead their case.

"Oh, Bethy, I thought you were smarter than this. Don't you see the trouble this could cause?" He questioned.

"Rick doesn't want to upset anyone, especially not Carl, and he was worried about what y'all would say when you found out about us. He tried to put a stop to it, but I wouldn't let him. I love him so much, and I'm not gonna give him up." She vowed.

"You have to. If he can't walk away, then you must." Hershel was insistent.

Beth was about to angrily protest, but he cut her off.

"If you love him like you say you do, then you'll leave him be, and we'll say no more about it. If you carry on you'll destroy him, and Carl, and most likely this whole group too." He said.

"No. We can talk to Carl, and everyone else, they'll come around, you'll see." She said with desperate optimism.

Hershel shook his head.

"I'm begging you, before it's too late; you have to put an end to this today. I'm giving you the chance to show me that you're as grown up as you seem to think you are. If you don't, I'll go to Rick myself." He said.

"Why? You're not even giving us a chance. Maybe everyone else won't be as bull-headed as you. Maybe they'll think that he deserves to have the support of someone who loves him." Beth argued.

"The Governor is still out there, and God knows what else. This isn't the time for distractions; there are too many people's lives on the line here." He countered.

"But I love him." She said in a small voice as she realised the futility of it.

"Despite everything, Rick is a good leader, and we need him. His son and daughter need him, and all the people here need him. Sometimes loving someone means letting them go, not because you want to, but because you know it's the right thing to do." Hershel explained.

Beth's eyes filled with tears and she felt defeated. She nodded her understanding and got up to settle Judith down in her crib.

* * *

Beth watched Rick from afar as he enjoyed a brief moment of respite with his son. She had been looking out for a moment to get him alone all day, but he was always surrounded by people. There was always someone who wanted to ask him something, or needed him for some reason or other. He was the centre of their little world, and for all its hassles, he seemed to really relish it. She knew it was selfish of her to want to hold onto him when there was so much else at stake. But her feelings for him were so intense that the mere sight of him sent electric pulses through her body culminating at her centre. It was a new feeling, but one she couldn't get enough of, and she wasn't sure that she was ready to give it up, or even if she could.

Hershel kept a watchful eye on them both, but he didn't say anything. Beth assured him that she would do the right thing, but to her that still meant being with Rick. They hadn't even tried testing the waters with people, and she wondered if they really would be as judgemental as Rick and her father feared. After all, the world was a different place now, and the priorities of life had been reordered. She couldn't help but think that who a person was sleeping with was no longer at the top of the agenda of things to be concerned about, so long as they were two consenting adults.

Rick had caught sight of Beth from across the cell block, and he surreptitiously made his way over to her. They hadn't made any plans to meet up again after they'd had sex the previous evening, and he could see that she was looking quite forlorn. He assumed the reason to be because of his reticence over their relationship. But he had been unable to carry through his intention of putting a stop to it. He knew that he should keep his distance, because that was the sensible thing to do. But he'd done so much for other people, that just this once he wanted something for himself. It wasn't the kind love he had with Lori, that took years to build, but he felt that there was potential for it to be something meaningful.

"Hey, you okay?" Rick all but whispered as he stood as close to Beth as he dared.

"We need to talk." She replied without looking at him.

He nodded and moved closer to her.

"Follow me out to the yard. We'll find someplace quiet." He said in a low voice next to her ear.

They went outside under Hershel's watchful gaze and found a spot away from everyone else, in the old machine room. Rick pulled her to him and kissed her, but he soon released her when he realised that she wasn't responding.

"What's wrong?" He asked with confusion.

Beth looked deep into his eyes, and for a moment she couldn't make any words come out. She wanted to kiss him back, and more besides, but her father's words were going round and round in her head.

"I shouldn't have argued with you last night, when you wanted to walk away. You were right, and we have to stop this now." She said with as much conviction as she could muster, although there were tears in her eyes.

Rick looked shocked; he ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"What changed?" He asked.

"Daddy knows. He's promised that he won't say another word about it, but he made me realise how selfish I was being." She said.

"I, I can talk to Hershel, I was planning on doing it anyway. This doesn't have to be it for us." He argued.

Beth started to shake her head.

"No. Don't make this any harder than it already is. I'm going to turn around and leave now, and we'll just go back to the way things used to be before." She clenched her jaw and tried to stop her tears from falling.

"And you can do that? Because I sure as hell can't." Rick said angrily.

"It's what you wanted." She cried.

"I thought I did, but then I realised that this, us, means something to me, and I don't want to let you go." He said as his voice cracked with emotion.

It had been one of his failings with Lori; to not tell her how much he loved her when he had the chance. He wasn't about to confess his undying affection for Beth, but he did want her to know that she meant something to him.

She couldn't hold back the floodgates any longer and shuddering sobs started to surge through her body. He reached out for her but she evaded him and started to run for the door. But he caught up to her and pulled her back against his chest. She fought against him at first, but then she wrapped her arms around him and wept against his shirt. He maneuvered her over to the guard's desk and eased her back on it. Then he started to kiss her and pulled off her pants while she helped to undo his. He was ready and he needed to get inside her as fast as he could. She gasped as he entered her with one hard thrust and started to pound into her. This was the first time they'd done it unprotected, and she had to admit that it felt amazing to feel every part of him in that way. She was worried about the possibility of pregnancy though.

"I won't come inside you." He whispered as if he could read her concerns.

Beth smiled and let the pleasure take over as he worked her to completion. Then he slammed into her and as he was on the brink of orgasm he pulled out and let himself spill over her exposed skin.

When they had caught their breath and cleaned up as best they could, Beth realised that they were back at square one.

"What should I say to daddy? He'll be waiting for me when I go back." She asked.

"Tell him what he wants to hear." Rick said.


	4. Chapter 4

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Chapter 4

Rick found himself eating breakfast alongside Hershel and Daryl. The atmosphere was strained and awkward with none of them able to meet each other's eyes. Their only company was a table full of children, old folks and Karen. When he was sure that their attention was distracted, Rick leaned in and spoke to his two companions.

"We need to go someplace quiet where we can talk." He whispered.

"I don't think you'll have anything to say, that I'll care to listen to." Hershel said dismissively.

"Look, we all know what this is about, and we need to clear the air." Rick insisted.

"Man, I knew this was gonna cause trouble." Daryl growled.

They all got up and found a place out in the yard that was away from the others.

"Hershel; firstly I need you to know that I never intended any disrespect towards you. I was going to speak with you about Beth and me, but I didn't get the chance." Rick explained.

"You didn't intend any disrespect? Just what did you intend when you decided to seduce my seventeen year old daughter?" Hershel asked angrily.

"You know that's not how it was." Rick said defensively.

"I know that she didn't call time on your shenanigans, even though she swore to me that she had. My Bethy isn't a very good liar, you see." The older man said with sadness.

"I hate to say, I told you so, but I did." Daryl said wearily.

"Hershel, I'm sorry for the hurt I've caused you, and Daryl, I'm sorry that you got caught up in all this. But what I'm not sorry for is what's happened between Beth and me. I've got Carl and Judith to keep fighting for, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep this group safe, I always have. But I need something more than that to remind me why life's still worth living. I had Lori, and I'll never forget her, or how much I loved her, I love her still. And I know Beth is half my age, and I should probably be ashamed of myself, but I'm not." Rick explained.

"You've got a lot to say, but what you don't say, is whether or not you love my daughter." Hershel said as he scrutinised the younger man.

"I gotta be honest with you; I wasn't sure at first how I felt, other than I knew that being with her made me feel good. But I guess I realised that I wouldn't be putting up a fight for her, if I didn't." Rick said.

The older man sighed, and looked dissatisfied.

"Beth told me about how you met her mother while you were still grieving for your first wife. I don't suppose you set out to find someone else to share your life with, either. But it happened, and I'll bet you weren't sorry that it did." The younger man argued.

Hershel sighed again and contemplated everything that he'd just heard.

"I'm just asking that you give us a chance, that's all." Rick appealed to his two companions.

"And what about Carl?" Hershel questioned.

"I'm gonna talk to him just as soon as we're done here." Rick said.

"Well, I'll tell you what. If you can convince him that all of this is a good idea, then I'll give you and Beth my blessing." Hershel said doubtingly as he began to haul himself back to the cell block.

The younger man realised the enormity of that challenge, and also that he was expected to fail, but he nodded in agreement anyway.

"Are we okay?" He asked Daryl before they went their separate ways.

"The heart wants what it wants, I guess." He replied noncommittally before walking away.

* * *

Carl was hanging out in his cell when Rick caught up to him. He was just staring up at the ceiling and his face was blank. Whatever he was deep in thought about was not registering on the outside.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Rick asked.

"Guess not." His son replied without enthusiasm.

It was hard to know where to begin, but he had to find some way in.

"Will you come take a walk with me?" Rick requested.

Carl reluctantly agreed, and he walked out with his father to the part of the prison grounds that they had set aside for burying their dead.

"What are we doing out here?" Carl asked.

"You know how I met your mother, right? You heard that story more than a few times, I know. Your Uncle Jeff used to take all the credit, but if your mom hadn't decided at the last minute to go to that party, then who knows what would've happened. I was sure grateful for it being New Year's Eve, so that I had the perfect excuse to kiss her." Rick reminisced.

His son just kept glaring at the graves without betraying any emotion.

"I didn't tell her often enough how much I loved her, and I didn't get the chance to tell her that I forgave her for what happened with Shane. I never was very good at saying the important stuff. I realised too late, that none of those other things mattered anymore. You always think there's gonna be time to put things right, but there never is. The way the world is now, we have to keep fighting, not only to survive but to remember why we should even want to." He paused to take a deep breath.

"I brought you out here because I have something to tell you, and I'm guessing that you might not like it, but you need to know." Rick said.

Carl looked up at his father, but his face was still a blank mask. Whatever he might have been feeling on the inside, he didn't let anything show through.

"Beth and I... Well, she's become pretty special to me, and we, well, I guess we're together." Rick fudged his words a little, but he'd finally got the words out that he needed to say.

He looked to his son for a reaction, but none was forthcoming, and so he continued to chatter on.

"She'll never replace your mom, and she's not trying too. You and Judith will always be my main priorities, but I need Beth too." He explained.

There was silence for a long moment, and then Carl began to chuckle which soon spiralled into hysterical laughter. Rick looked on in horrified bemusement.

"Carl?" He shouted.

He tried to snap his son out of his mania but he just kept on laughing. The boy eventually calmed down slightly, and took a few deep breaths before he was able to speak.

"Beth is nearer in age to me than she is to you. This is just so hilarious, and pathetic." He said with a look of disgust at his father.

"Hey, I know you're upset, but..." Rick was interrupted before he could rebuke his son.

"I don't even care. Just do what you're gonna do, okay?" Carl said and then started to walk away.

"Get back here." Rick commanded.

The boy stopped in his tracks, and he turned around.

"Shane woulda killed the prisoners, and the Governor. If you hadn't killed him, then maybe mom would still be alive." He said accusingly.

Rick gasped as if he'd been punched in the gut.

"If I hadn't killed him, then I'd be dead now too." He finally managed to say.

"Sometimes I wish you'd never come back. Mom and me were doing alright with Shane, and he woulda done whatever it took to keep us safe." Carl kept twisting the knife.

Rick felt his anger rising to the point of boiling over, and he started to march towards his son. But he knew that he couldn't strike his own flesh and blood, and so he stopped and let him walk away.

* * *

"Well I really fucked that up." Rick said as he rubbed at his face and beard.

Beth was cradling Judith but she reached out a hand to cover one of his.

"It's been a shock to them, they'll come around." She said more with hope than genuine expectation.

He gave her a sceptical snort to confirm that he was just as doubtful as she was.

"There's no going back now." He said with a hint of regret.

"Do you want me to try talking to Carl?" Beth asked.

"No, no, best let him be for now." Rick cautioned.

Their father/son relationship had been fractured for a while now, and he didn't know how to put it back together again. He had tried to give Carl more responsibilities, but he was always truculent and sometimes just downright hostile. His confession about his relationship with Beth certainly hadn't helped matters. Things between them were bad beforehand but they felt infinitely worse now. The things Carl had said about Shane, had really stung him, and he hoped that it had just been a heat of the moment kind of deal. He couldn't bear to think that that was what his son really thought about him.

Rick took his daughter into his arms as Beth moved to sit behind him on her cell bunk. She started to gently massage his shoulders to try and relieve his tension.

"I talked to daddy again, and Maggie and Glenn." She said.

"What did they say?" He inquired.

"Daddy said that we've made our bed, and now we've gotta lie in it. Maggie and Glenn were a bit shocked, I think. They just wanted to know that we were being, you know, careful." She explained.

"Are they?" Rick was momentarily annoyed by the implication.

Beth sighed, and decided not to mention her sister's barbed comment, about how she hoped she wouldn't be called upon to slice her open in nine months' time.

They had done the hard part, but a few hurdles still remained.

"Do you think we should make like, an announcement to the rest of the group, or something?" She asked as she continued her tender ministrations around his shoulders and neck.

"If you keep doing that, we won't need to say a word." He sighed at the sensual feel of her hands working his aching muscles.

Rick was glad of the distraction from his darker thoughts. He resolved to talk to Carl again the next morning, when they'd both had a chance to cool down.

He moved to carefully place his daughter into her crib, and then he swung around to capture Beth in his arms. He gently pushed her back against the bunk and kissed her without regard for whether or not they would be discovered. His increasing arousal pressed against her as he ran his hands over her body.

"I wish I could have you, right here, right now." He drawled in her ear.

"Me too." She gasped.

"But for now, maybe it's enough that we can just be here together, without having to sneak around." She reasoned.

"Yeah, maybe. But it's gonna drive me crazy." He said with a grin.


	5. Chapter 5

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Chapter 5

Rick eased himself out of the bunk as carefully as he could and so as not to wake Beth. He was due to take watch and he didn't want to be late, especially now that everyone knew whose bed his boots were under. They hadn't made an announcement, but with them all living in such a small space, it hadn't taken long for everyone to cotton on. There had been a few awkward moments and they had received a few scrutinising looks that lingered for just a little too long. But he had to gratefully concede that the reaction was more muted and forgiving that he was expecting. That wasn't true of everyone though, and especially not as far his own son was concerned.

Michonne was standing by the gate and waiting to be relieved from watch duty. She saw Rick approaching and slung her rifle over her shoulder as she walked to meet him.

"It's been all quiet out here, except for Daryl spotting a deer out in the woods. He chased it down, so it looks like we're good for dinner today." She explained.

Rick nodded, but his mind was on other things. He was thinking about how Carl seemed to be spending more of his time in Michonne's company these days, than with anyone else. He didn't want to put her in the middle of anything, of impinge on the friendship that they'd built, but he needed to do something about his fractured relationship with his son.

"You and Carl seem to be best buddies these days; I'm glad that he's found someone he wants to hang out with." Rick said.

Michonne looked thoughtful and then nodded.

"He's a great kid, but I see a lot of anger there." She said.

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about." Rick said.

"I tried talking to him, and he said some things that, well, I guess he just hates me right now." He explained.

"He doesn't hate you." She said with certainty.

"How do you know, has he said something to you?" He inquired.

"No. But I do know what hate looks like, and that ain't it." Michonne said sagely.

"I feel bad about asking you this, but would you be willing to have a talk with him, see if you can get him to open up at all? I'm just at a complete loss here, and everything I say to him just seems to make things worse." Rick pleaded with her.

"Sure, I'll try at least." She vowed.

"Well, I'd sure be grateful, thank you." He said earnestly.

Neither of them said anything about his relationship with Beth, and he figured it was best to just leave it that way. He reckoned that if he stopped treating like it was such a big deal to everyone else, then maybe he'd find out that they didn't really care. He was sure that Carl, Hershel and Maggie would take longer to come to terms with it though.

* * *

Beth picked Judith up out of her crib and took her to get the bottle that she'd just prepared for her morning feed.

"Will you be expecting her to call you momma?" Maggie sneeringly asked as she came upon her sister with the baby in the makeshift kitchen area.

""I hadn't really thought about that, but I guess if she wants to, I wouldn't mind." Beth answered whilst ignoring the bitter edge to the question.

Maggie set about preparing breakfast, but her agitated appearance alerted her sister to the fact that she wasn't done speaking her mind just yet.

"I just don't know what you were thinking, both of you. You were always so precious about holding onto your virginity, and now you're having sex with a man twice your age? I just don't get it." She finally snapped and raged at her younger sibling.

Beth sighed with frustration and she finished winding Judith before placing her gently back into her crib. Rick had never actually told her that he loved her, but she felt that he had to for them to have gotten this far, and she wouldn't stop fighting for them to stay together.

"What's your problem? I love Rick, and he loves me. We haven't done anything wrong, so where do you get off treating us like we have?" She argued back with equal passion.

"What's my problem?" Maggie asked with incredulity.

"I'll tell you what my problem is, I had to cut open the last woman that Rick loved, to get his baby out of her. Then I had to walk away and leave her bleeding out on the floor while her own son put a bullet in her head." She said as tears began to roll down her face.

Beth swallowed hard as she felt tears stinging her own eyes. What had happened to Lori was a tragedy, but that was no reason to forbid Rick from ever finding love again.

"We're real careful, just like you and Glenn must be, or else you'd be pregnant now too." She said pointedly.

Maggie paused for a moment and she went to hold her sister's hands.

"I'm just worried that you don't appreciate what you've gotten yourself into. You've broken daddy's heart, and you're poisoning Rick's relationship with his son, and all for what? I know you say that you love him, but you're still such a baby yourself. Did he even know that you were still a virgin?" She asked.

"First things first, I ain't a baby no more. Do you think I've been going around with my eyes and ears closed for the past year? Rick asked me if I was a virgin before we did anything, and he gave me plenty of chances to say no. I'll admit that I was a little naive, and I didn't know what it was gonna be like, but he was so gentle with me. I know that loving him means taking all the bad stuff as well as the good, and I'm sorry that Carl and daddy and you are having such a tough time with all this. But y'all are just gonna have to get used to it, and I will do everything I can to help fix things between Rick and Carl." Beth was adamant that they would weather the storm together.

Maggie hugged her sister tightly to her.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been there for you enough. You should've come to me, and we could've talked it through. If I'd have known how serious you were about Rick, we might have been able to avoid all this." She said.

Beth had thought that her older sibling was finally coming around to things, but she realised that it was a vain hope.

"You think you coulda talked me out of it?" She questioned with disbelief.

"Maybe, I guess we'll never know now will we?" Maggie said.

"You can't even be just a teensy bit happy for me?" Beth asked.

Her sister gave her a hard stare as she went back to her food preparation.

"I'll tell you what I will do for you, the next time we go out on a run, I'll see if I can track you down some in-date birth control pills." Maggie said to underline the importance of one of her main concerns for her sister.

"Gee, thanks." Beth said sarcastically.

"Maybe, the things that Rick and I do together don't carry the risk of pregnancy." She said in a mocking tone as she walked away.

* * *

Rick looked through his rifle sight and scanned the edges of the woodland. There had been no suspicious activity, but he felt like he couldn't ever afford to let his guard down. They had lost too many people, and they knew that there was always going to be some threat to what they'd built, looming somewhere on the horizon. The Governor might have gone off of the radar for now, but that didn't mean he wouldn't resurface. They were always on alert for any sightings of him, and maintaining eternal vigilance was the best that they could do.

He sighed and slung the rifle back over his shoulder, his mind drifted back to his troubles with his son. It was moments like this when he let his self-doubts creep in, and he started to feel guilty about what he was doing. His children should be his first priority, he rebuked himself, and he cursed his own selfish needs. He questioned his right to feel any kind of personal happiness, or to receive comfort in the arms of another woman, after what had happened to Lori. But then, his wife had succumbed to Shane in similar circumstances. Rick didn't blame her for it, not now, and all he had left was regret for how he'd treated her during their final months together. The old ideals of life had crumbled away under the reality of their present situation. Therefore any small crumbs of comfort that could still be scavenged, were to be cherished, he reasoned.

"Mind if I keep you company for a while?" Beth's voice suddenly pulled him from his pondering.

He hadn't even noticed her approaching, and he internally scolded himself for getting too lost inside his own head.

"Rick?" She reached out stroke his face and to get his attention as he hadn't acknowledged her presence.

"Hey, sorry, I was just thinking." He said.

"What about?" She inquired.

"Stuff." He answered noncommittally.

"Oh, okay, that's alright then." Beth said with a smile.

Rick couldn't help but grin too, and he reached out and pulled her to him.

She let her hands roam tenderly over his strong lean body, as she thought about her earlier parting shot to her sister. They hadn't actually done anything other than basic guy-on-top-of-girl as far as sex was concerned. Beth was curious to know if there were other things that he liked to do, but she wasn't sure how to broach the subject. It was a whole new world to her, and although she knew about things like blowjobs, she wasn't sure that she would know how to give one.

Rick noticed that she had become quiet and withdrawn, despite the fact that her hand was still tracing lazy circles on his chest.

"Everything okay with you?" He asked.

"Huh-uh." She nodded.

"You thinking about stuff too?" He inquired as he kissed her hair.

"Um, more about things." She said.

"Things, what kinda things?" Rick playfully asked.

Beth took a deep breath and she could already feel her cheeks beginning to glow.

"I was wondering, I mean, if there was stuff that you liked to do, with things, y'know?" She realised that she wasn't exactly being forthright, but she hoped he'd get the gist.

He started to laugh heartily, which made her blush an even fiercer shade of red.

"Don't make fun of me, I'm kinda new to all this, and I just want you to know that I'd be willing, to y'know, try stuff." She explained.

Rick stopped laughing and began to contemplate what was being offered to him. His sex life with Lori had been a mostly pedestrian affair; they had experimented a little with positions, and gone down on each other. But he had never craved anything kinky, or desired to be out of his comfort zone. He had been more than satisfied with how making love with Beth made him feel. There was no greater turn on than being with someone who wanted him the way she did.

"I got no complaints." He said as he moved in to kiss her.

Rick realised that he'd never actually said the words _I love you_, to her. He never was good with the particulars; he was more about showing it than saying it. But he knew that sometimes folks needed to hear it.

"Beth, I, um, know that I haven't said it yet, but I want you to know that I do." He said falteringly.

"Do what?" She asked playfully although inside her heart was leaping.

"Love you." He said.


	6. Chapter 6

**I decided to make this the last chapter because I was struggling to find the inspiration to continue. Apologies to all those who were hoping for a longer story, but I really felt that I had taken it as far as I could. I do have other ideas for Rick/Beth fics rattling around in my head, and as soon as I get the time I'll be writing them down. ****I was interested to read that season 4 of TWD will pick up the action somewhere between 3 -12 months after season 3 ended, so I think some fanfics to fill those missing months would be good.**

**A big thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this fic. I have really appreciated your feedback, thanks again. - Mrs P.**

* * *

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive

Chapter 6

Rick had decided to take Carl and Michonne out with him on a supply run. It had worked out pretty well the last time they'd gone out together, and he needed to find ways to reconnect with his son. Michonne had suggested that it would be a good way to engage Carl in a dialogue around the things that were troubling him, without having to confront him head on. Rick hadn't been able to put things back together with Lori before her death, and that still haunted him. Life had always been too short, but now it was even more fragile, and every second spent with loved ones was precious.

Beth walked out with them to the car, and she wished that she was going too. But she appreciated what Rick was trying to do, and achieve.

"Be careful." She implored them all.

Michonne and Carl took their seats while Rick and Beth said their farewell with a fleeting but sweet kiss. She clung on to his hand for a moment before letting go so that he could get behind the wheel.

"We'll be back before you know it." He said reassuringly before driving away.

"Let's all wave goodbye to Goldilocks." Carl sneered.

"Hey, that's enough of that." Rick chided, only to see Michonne trying to stifle a snicker.

"So, where are we headed? Back to King County?" She queried to quickly change the subject.

"No. That wouldn't do us any good, not this time." He replied.

"Where then?" She inquired.

"I thought we'd try pushing west of the river, we haven't explored that much." He answered.

"The Governor's territory?" Michonne raised an eyebrow.

"Not anymore. We took in his people, and we need the resources." Rick reasoned.

They travelled on in silence for a while

"D'you think Morgan is still alive?" Michonne asked out of the blue.

Rick gave her a surprised look.

"I don't know. Living on his own like that; he was in a bad place, and I ain't talking about his booby trapped accommodation." He said with a sigh.

"I was alone for a long time, before I found Andrea." She said wistfully.

"You survived, so maybe Morgan will be okay, too." Carl reasoned.

"Yeah, I survived, but I wasn't okay." Michonne stated with certainty.

"I thought I was protecting myself by staying on my own, but it wasn't that simple. I watched Andrea fighting for her life, out in the woods, and I almost kept walking on by. But I realised something in that moment, I knew that the longer I was alone, the more pieces of myself I was in danger of losing. My compassion, my humanity, my sanity, they were all slipping away. It hit me then, that without those things that make us human, I might as well be dead, or undead, because what's the difference?" She questioned.

Carl looked thoughtful for a moment.

"But Andrea chose to stay with the Governor, and now she's dead anyway, so maybe you should have walked on by back in those woods." He argued without compassion.

"Yeah, she stayed with the Governor, and that hurt me, I'm not gonna lie. But she saved me, just as much as I saved her, and she didn't even know it. When we found her back in Woodbury, and as she lay dying in my arms; she said that no one can make it in this world on their own anymore. I knew that she was right, and I never would have known it if not for her. If it hadn't been for Andrea, I never would have come to the prison, and I'd have missed out on so much." Michonne spoke passionately in defence of her friend.

Carl nodded as if he had come to a realisation.

They all lapsed into silence and their own quiet contemplation for the rest of the journey.

"This looks like a good bet." Rick said as they approached a small shopping centre.

"Let's hope it ain't been picked clean." He said as he drove them as close as he could to the nearest store.

There were a few walkers milling around outside, but nothing they couldn't handle.

Rick had an epiphany as they set about looking for useful things to scavenge, it was a revelation to realise just how much stuff was useless now. All of the technology stores and the places selling fancy goods, which had been highly sought after before, were all redundant now. They needed food, clothing and basic essentials for surviving; the rest could just be left to rot. He let out an ironic laugh as they passed by an Apple store that was filled with walkers.

They carefully rounded a corner and came upon a potential goldmine; a supermarket. They desperately hoped, as they made their approach, that it hadn't been completely looted already. Their reconnaissance revealed plenty of canned goods still on the shelves, but also that there were dozen or more walkers wandering around the aisles.

"We gotta lot of mouths to feed, we need that stuff." Rick said as they tried to formulate a plan of action.

"We're just gonna have to pick them off, one by one." Michonne said as she readied her Katana.

They made their way inside as stealthily as possible and began to dispatch the walkers as they went along. Carl grabbed a shopping cart, and he filled it with as much useable stuff as he could. They got hemmed in on the baby aisle and Rick had to use his gun, after which they decided to quit while they were ahead, and get back to the car.

The gunshots had attracted a few more walkers out front and Michonne set about swinging her sword to clear the way. They loaded up the contents of the cart with the rest of the stuff that they'd found, and then they set off back to the prison.

"You did good out there." Rick praised Carl.

He smiled and looked genuinely happy, which was a rare thing for him in recent times.

They travelled along in silence for a short while, until Carl spoke directly to Michonne.

"I've been thinking about what you said, and I'm glad you came to the prison. I just wanted you to know that."

She smiled and gave a nod of her head, and then she caught Rick's eye in the rear view mirror. He silently acknowledged and thanked her by returning the gesture.

It had been a successful day, in many ways, and Rick was grateful for the slight thawing in relations with his son. It seemed like Michonne had been able to get through to him, just as they had both hoped. Rick didn't dare to presume that all of their problems had been solved, but it was a step in the right direction, and it was something for them to build on.

* * *

Beth always had a sick feeling in her stomach when Rick was somewhere else other than in the prison. She turned down her dinner ration and went to sit out in the yard to look for any sign of her lover's return. She stared out at the walkers that were clawing at the fence, and began to wonder about who they were before they turned. Beth knew it wasn't helpful to see them as the people they once were, not when their survival depended upon driving sharp objects through their brains. But they had lived, loved and been full of hopes and dreams once, just like she was now. She wondered how long it would be before she either joined them, or was torn apart by them.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" Maggie came and sat down on the bench beside her sister.

Beth managed a weak smile by way of a reply but her mood was maudlin.

"What's wrong? You look like you got the weight of the world on your shoulders." Her elder sister asked with concern.

"Oh, nothing really, I was just thinking is all." Beth said with a sigh.

"Care to share?" Maggie inquired.

"Back on the farm, we'd see animals being born and we'd see them die all the time, I was used to that. But this...? I know that life will never be the same as it was before, but I wonder if we'll ever beat this thing?" She queried.

"I don't know, I wish I did, but I guess we'll just have to keep making the best of things. We've got each other, and we found love, despite everything. Things ain't so bad, are they?" Maggie asked.

"You gonna quit giving me a hard time over Rick, then?" Beth asked with hope.

Her sister looked at her through narrowed eyes as she thought about them.

"What I said still stands, but if he makes you happy, then I guess I can live with it." She said.

Maggie wasn't exactly jumping for joy, but it was an acceptance of sorts and Beth was grateful for it

The sound of an approaching car sent them both running for the gate, as they joyfully welcomed the returning trio back from their supply run success.

* * *

Rick peeled off his shirt and pants and sat down on the bunk, it had been a good day but he felt exhausted. He lay back against the mattress and his eyelids fluttered until he drifted off into a light slumber. It was a short time later when Beth returned to the cell that they were now sharing.

"Sorry I took so long, but lots of folks wanted hot water." She explained as she put the basin down on the floor.

She hadn't noticed that Rick had fallen asleep, and that she had now awoken him.

"Hey." He said sleepily.

"Oh, no, I woke you?" She was crestfallen at the realisation because he so needed his rest.

"It's okay." He said as he beckoned her over to him.

They kissed lazily and he put his arm around her to pull her onto the bunk with him.

"Not yet." Beth said firmly.

"I promised that I was gonna clean you up, and now I have the warm water, so just lie back and relax." She said seductively as she soaked the washcloth in the basin.

She helped him out of his boxer shorts and began to gently trace circles all over his body with the cloth. Rick moaned his appreciation as the roughness of the towel stimulated his skin as she dried him off.

Beth felt a strong urge to run her tongue over his chest and she tenderly circled each nipple. His arousal was plain for her to see and she began to kiss her way down his body. She left a wet trail down his stomach as she worked her way to her target. He realised what she was intending to do and he gently placed his hand behind her head to still her.

"Are you sure?" He asked her as he raised himself up on his elbows so that he could look in her eyes.

She was nervous, and uncertain of her ability to do it right, but she definitely wanted to. Beth nodded and smiled to show her enthusiasm. Rick was reassured and he laid back in anticipation of the ecstasy that awaited him. She tentatively began to explore him with her tongue, and then started to swirl it over his length. She licked her way up and then took him fully into her mouth. She sucked slowly at first as she lovingly held on to him at the base and pumped him with her hand. Rick was desperately trying to stifle his moans as she slowly drove him out of his senses. He felt the inner tension starting to build as she worked him with increasing fervour. Her lips and tongue circled him as she sucked harder and faster. He tried to let her know that he was about to come, in case she didn't want to swallow, but she stilled him with a hand to his chest. She looked into his eyes and willed him to let go, and that was his undoing. His hips bucked as he shot his hot seed deep into her mouth, and she hungrily took it all. Rick had to bite on the towel to muffle the sound of his orgasmic bliss.

"Just when I thought this day couldn't get any better." He said with a grin when he'd got his breath back.

They laughed and Beth was feeling pretty pleased with herself for a job well done. She wasn't sure that she liked the taste all that much, but the sensation was wonderful, and so she decided she could live with it.

The rest of the group had begun to accept them as a couple, and they had achieved quite a lot in a relatively short time. The road ahead was still fraught with danger, but at least they would be travelling it together, and that gave them both hope for the future.

**THE END**.


End file.
